Rabbi Rules on Preparing Instant Mashed Potatoes on Shabbat

Rabbi Yigal Cohen, head of the Yabia Omer institutions and a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, addressed the religious permissibility of preparing instant mashed potatoes on the Sabbath. The question posed was whether the act of preparing a "hot meal" from instant mashed potato flakes constitutes the prohibited Sabbath labor of "cooking" (melachet bishul).

Rabbi Cohen's ruling, presented as part of a daily Halakha (Jewish law) segment, clarifies the application of Sabbath laws to modern convenience foods. The core of the discussion revolves around whether the process of rehydrating and heating instant mashed potatoes, which often involves adding hot water, is considered cooking under Jewish law, which prohibits cooking on Shabbat.

While the article does not explicitly state Rabbi Cohen's final verdict, it frames the issue as a practical application of Sabbath observance to contemporary food preparation methods. The segment is presented by 'Bocharei Charedim' and is dated September 4, 2026.